Automated message playback systems have been developed which detect the presence of a person and respond by playing an audio message. Such systems have proven useful in a variety of contexts. For example, automated message playback systems may be used by real estate sales people to inform prospective home buyers about particular aspects of the home to be sold. At trade shows, a booth may be equipped with an audio/video message playback system to provide product information. Fire extinguishers and exit signs may be equipped with message playback systems to provide safety instructions in times of emergency. Home and business security systems may be equipped with audible message playback systems to deter crime. Many other applications for automated message playback systems exist.
One common aspect of such automated message playback systems is the ability of the system to detect the presence of a person. Various motion sensor types have been used to detect those in the vicinity of the message playback system.
An example of an automated message playback system which detects the presence of a message recipient is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,457 to Ladd, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The Ladd invention detects message recipients by first establishing a desired detection range. The detection range is dynamically programmable. When a person, for example, enters the detection range, the sensor detects the presence of the person and a message automatically plays.
Removable EPROM message cartridges store the recorded messages. The cartridges have up to four separate recording channels. To record a new message the cartridges are removed and programmed with the new message using known EPROM programming techniques.
Once a cartridge is programmed and in use, a switch selects a channel, or sequence of channels, to play a message. However, the Ladd invention makes no provision for identifying the message recipient or selecting which message to play based on the identity of the recipient.
The feature of multiple message playback is employed by Butler in U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,228, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Butler discloses a fire-extinguisher which relies on a voice synthesizer chip and multiple sensors to play an appropriate message in response to detection of heat, motion, etc. Butler teaches how multiple messages can be played to provide instructions to a fire-extinguisher user. Butler, however, does not teach how to identify a particular recipient to play a particular message to that recipient.
Some message playback systems include an audio and video presentation. The use of a proximity sensor to detect a person initiates the presentation. Such a system is disclosed by Damato in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,624. Damato uses a personal computer in combination with a sensor to initiate and play the presentation, but does not offer customized presentations which may be addressed to a particular recipient.
What is desired is a system which addresses custom recorded messages to an intended recipient, so that the system can be used in a household, office or other location having multiple identifiable message recipients.